Below is a free preview of our weekly fantasy football matchups. Our Fantasy Source experts break down the matchups for every NFL game from a fantasy perspective. Our tiered star ratings tell you how strongly we feel about each player's chances for a breakout performance. We analyze players based on how well their opponent defends that position and other factors such as statistical trends, playing-time potential and the talent level of the players and the teams involved. For every matchup, every week, join Fantasy Source Football!

4-Star Players

Arian Foster (left) and Frank Gore will face off in San Francisco on Sunday night. (AP Photo)

Andre Johnson, WR, Texans. Johnson had a very tough matchup last week against the Seahawks' secondary and still emerged with nine catches (12 targets) for 110 yards. What have we learned? First, Johnson's shin was apparently healthy despite being a game-time decision. Second, start your studs. That applies to Johnson again this week against the 49ers' No. 3 pass defense.

Arian Foster, RB, Texans. Foster also had a tough task last week against Seattle, but totaled 171 yards with a touchdown. Though the 49ers typically have one of the league's top run defenses, they have some issues up front, as they've allowed the eighth-most fantasy points per game (FPPG) to RBs. Regardless if that's an early-season fluke or not, start Foster.

Vernon Davis, TE, 49ers. Davis clearly wasn't 100 percent last week in his return from a hamstring injury, but he still managed to score on one of his two catches. He should be healthier on a long week entering a tough matchup against the Texans. Houston ranks No. 1 against the pass, but hasn't really been tested by an elite TE since Week 1 at San Diego. If Houston's corners are able to contain Anquan Boldin, as expected, Davis should be heavily targeted in more favorable matchups over the middle and even occasionally out wide. As long as he's active, Davis should be in all fantasy lineups.

Anquan Boldin, WR, 49ers. Even with Colin Kaepernick's struggles, Boldin has managed to put up respectable fantasy stats in two of the last three games. He hasn't come close to seeing the 17 targets he got in Week 1, though. Still, he's running unopposed as the 49ers' top wide receiver and will continue to see plenty of targets. He'll need to step up this week against Houston, which hasn't allowed a 100-yard receiver all season or a TD pass since Week 2. It's a tough matchup, but we're still trusting Boldin as a low-end WR2.

Colin Kaepernick, QB, 49ers. Kaepernick looked a little better against the Rams last week with a pair of TD passes -- his first scores since Week 1 -- and no picks. But he threw for just 167 yards (15-for-23), ran for only 11 yards (three carries) and lost a fumble for the third straight game. Averaging less than 150 passing yards the past three weeks, the last thing Kaepernick needs is a matchup with the league's No. 1 pass defense. Expect more struggles from Kaepernick this week against Houston, which hasn't allowed a 200-yard passer yet and befuddled Russell Wilson last week. Kaepernick is very close to fantasy benches this weekend.

49ers defense/special teams. The 49ers D/ST has been a disappointment thus far, ranking just 22nd in standard fantasy points. However, this could be the matchup to get this unit on track. Houston is allowing the fifth-most FPPG to defenses, thanks in large part to three pick-sixes from Matt Schaub. Even without Aldon Smith, the 49ers defense is too talented to keep struggling; give it another chance Sunday night.

Phil Dawson, K, 49ers. Kickers typically thrive in the 49ers offense, but Dawson is just 3-for-6 on field-goal attempts this season and hasn't made one since Week 2. The lack of scoring opportunities is directly related to Kaepernick's recent struggles, which could continue this week in a tough matchup with Houston. Dawson will eventually break out, but we'd at least explore other options this weekend.

Frank Gore, RB, 49ers. Gore is coming off his best game of the season, a 20-carry, 153-yard performance (with a TD) against St. Louis. Houston presents a much tougher task, but not as tough as some might think. The Texans' typically stout run defense is actually allowing more than 120 total yards per game to RBs, and we just saw Marshawn Lynch put up 143 and a touchdown on them last week. With Kaepernick struggling, the 49ers will lean heavily on Gore once again in both the run and pass games. It's not an ideal matchup, but Gore should still be able to produce like an RB2.

Owen Daniels, TE, Texans. Daniels saw a season-high 11 targets last week, catching six for 72 yards. He's off to a bounce-back season and proving to be an important part of the Texans offense. However, he gets a tough test against the 49ers this week. San Francisco has held TEs Jermichael Finley, Coby Fleener and Jared Cook to 114 yards and a TD combined this season. That's 5.8 standard fantasy points per game; if that's good enough for you to trust Daniels as a low-end TE1, go for it. Otherwise, find a TE with a better matchup.

Matt Schaub, QB, Texans. Schaub's fantasy stats look great, but don't overlook the fact that he's thrown a pick-six in three straight games and has six INTs overall. He's way too risky to trust outside of two-QB leagues in a matchup with the 49ers' No. 3 pass D. San Francisco has held Russell Wilson, Andrew Luck and Sam Bradford all under 15 standard fantasy points apiece in the past three weeks. Trust Schaub to get the ball to Andre Johnson, but don't trust him as a QB1.

1-Star Players

DeAndre Hopkins, WR, Texans. Hopkins has cooled off since his Week 2 breakout, largely because of tough matchups, but also because Andre is healthy again. Hopkins saw just three targets last week and is clearly an afterthought when Johnson is an option. Meanwhile, the 49ers rank third against the pass and haven't allowed a WR to reach 60 yards since Week 1. This isn't the weekend to trust Hopkins as a WR3.

0-Star Players

Ben Tate, RB, Texans. As expected, Tate's early-season carries have steadily declined as Foster has gotten up to speed. Even if he gets a few extra carries this week, Tate is a poor fantasy option against the 49ers run D.

Kendall Hunter, RB, 49ers. Hunter continues to see a handful of carries behind Gore and even scored for the second straight game last week. Most of his 11 carries (and the TD) came in garbage time, though. Don't expect that to happen this week against Houston. Hunter won't see much action as the 49ers feed Gore as much as possible.

Texans defense/special teams. While Kaepernick has struggled thus far, so has the Texans D/ST. This unit barely ranks as a top-20 fantasy unit in standard leagues -- thanks partly to having just three takeaways -- and faces an offense that could explode at any moment. Bench the Texans D/ST and look for another unit with more momentum in a better matchup.

Randy Bullock, K, Texans. Bullock has turned in consecutive games with multiple field goals, but he's still just 6-for-10 on the season. We need to see another good game or two before trusting Bullock in fantasy leagues. That's unlikely to happen this week anyway, as the 49ers have allowed just five field goals so far. You can do better than Bullock.